A New Page For Book 2012!

We will open the new book.
Its pages are blank.
We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called Opportunity
and
its first chapter is New Year's Day.

 With the beginning of year 2012, a new era begins and with it comes new hopes and new opportunities. Every year teaches us some of life's most important lessons, and with that learning we put our step forward into the new year. Many of us take New Year's Day to look back at the past year. Some of it we'll never forget. Some of it we'll want to forget. We draw resolutions if we want or need to change it. We make commitment by ourselves, aiming for a goal to achieve them by the next New Year.  If we succeed, we’re the better for it, and if we fail , we still have chance to try again for the next New year.  For this year 2012, I just want to improve more my Dutch and have confidence in speaking with it. I hope I can make it by the end of 2012 so I can find a better job or continue studying in a Dutch school with my Nursing degree. I do believe that nothing is impossible if I will strive hard for and accomplish it. 

My First New Year's Eve here at Holland

Fascinating fireworks, arousing parties with live musical performance and fun and laughter is what marks the beginning of a new year. Our celebration for New year 2012 is just a simple party with full of enjoyment and laughters. We invited few of our friends named Eric, Frank, Rene, Nanthicia and Dennis' father. Actually, our main plan for the upcoming New year is to celebrate with my cousin, Cristina and her family in Middelburg and later have short visit in Antwerpen, Belgium but when we heard from Dennis' father the he would celebrate alone in New year's eve as well as Dennis' friends, Eric and Frank, we decided just to be here at home and throw a small party with them. I prepared  Filipino dish - fried rice, Adobong manok with pineapple chunks, and embotido for dinner as requested by our visitors, Eric and Frank. They brought traditional Dutch foods, appelflappen  (small deep-fried pies filled with apple) and oliebollen (deep-fried balls with powder sugar) and some cocktail drinks. Father of Dennis brought a bottle of Champagne and his Yahtzee game where we could play while waiting for the clock to turn into 12. After having a great dinner, we decided to play a Yahtzee game. We had fun playing on it where you throw five dice and make more point scores to make certain combinations. While playing on the second round of Yahtzee game, Nanthicia and her boyfriend, Rene arrived  and brought with sushi and  Heineken beers. They arrived after dinner because Nanthicia need to work on that day. We had  a great time while waiting for the year 2012. Watching music videos, sharing experience, drinking, and eating some chips, sushi, toast. Pon was another sweet Thai friend of mine who was also the mother of the children I take care of, shared with us her home-made oliebollen and greeted us personally. At 12 o´clock midnight, we greeted each other a 'Gelukkig Nieuwjaar' and had toast of Champagne. After that, we went outside to watch firework displays

New year in Netherlands

Dutch New Year (Oud en Nieuw) consists of Oudejaarsavond (New Year’s Eve) on December 31 and Nieuwjaarsdag (New Year’s Day) on January 1. Families gather together at home to play board games and watch traditional summaries of the year by popular Dutch comedians on TV. The streets become deserted and even the bangs of premature fireworks taper off to an creepy silence as the midnight hour approaches. There is also a long tradition of eating foods, which contain a lot of oil or fat, such as oliebollen and appelflappen.

On the evening of December 31, may people hold or attend parties to celebrate the end of the past year and to welcome the New Year. In some towns and cities, public parties are held or public bonfires to burn Christmas trees are lit. At midnight, people kiss each other and wish one another "the best wishes for the new year" and may hold a toast with champagne or sparkling wine. In addition, many people and some organizations let off fireworks to mark the start of the New Year. In a number of towns and villages, New Year's Dives are organized. This involves taking a dip in the freezing cold North Sea at Scheveningen beach in the Hague.

 New year in Philippines

Additionally, midnight mass or media noche is one of the significant New Year traditions in the Philippines. Also, firecrackers are very famous in this place and have a big role in the New Year practice in Philippines. Skies is lit with divers sort of firecrackers which signifies prosperity and happiness all through the year. In the Philippines fireworks are recognized as “paputok”.